"Good books on Battle of Talavera and campaign" Topic

Hi

One of my friends is mainly interested in fighting Napoleonic games in the Peninsualr War. Specifically he is looking to collect the Angl/Portugese/Spanish army for the Battle of Talavera, and the campaign building up to this. So I will be doing the French.

But first I want to understand more about the Battle and the build up. So can any recomend any good books on Talavera that are written in English and don't cost an arm and a leg? What would be a good overview / introduction?

A couple of books I was contemplating:

1) Talavera: Wellington's First Victory in Spain by Andrew Field:
link

2) Talavera, 1809: Wellington's Lightning Strike into Spain (Campaign) by Rene Chartrand:
link

3) Talavera: Wellington's Early Peninsula Victories 1808-9 by Peter Edwards:
link

Any of those three books any good as Intro/overview??

Thanks

James

Oman is always a good start for an overview: link

The Oman description is clear, classic, irrefutable. You could get it from your library if you are in the UK.

I liked Edwards very much personally. It had a lot of info that was new – to me. Lie the Guards not even bothering to fire their volley before they charged the French, and just how badly they got cut up by the French cavalry – which nearly lost the battle. However, the Talavera campaign doesn't start till page 156 though; the book has a rather misleading title. The account of the actual battle is only pages 172-224: 50 pages. Still it's a very vivid account.

Thanks guys. Not familiar with Oman. Will check it out.

Ok. So I gather that Charles Oman History of Peninsular War volume 2 is the one thst deals with Talavera and buildup. Would it matter if I only read that volume as don't want to get bogged down in earlier period of Volume 1.

You can jump in and out of Oman no problem.

Wow! I had no idea Oman was available online AND downloadable for free. Thanks!

Hi James,

I to am on the road to Talavera and have read all the books you mention and Oman is probably the foundation of understanding the battle.

However I think the Field's book is definitely where I would start for a more contemporary view of the battle and, seeing as you are looking at the French, a more rounded assessment from the viewpoint of the three armies involved.

Best of luck with your project and if you want to follow my progress pop over to JJ's. More than happy to share ideas.

jjwargames.blogspot.co.uk
Jonathan

Field is very good. I haven't read the Chartrand volume, but he is a good scholar and generally worth reading.

Charles Grant has also written a book on Talavera: link

Thanks guys.

Jonathan- I saw your blog when I was browsing TMP to find out more about the German Division. However that is for later – I need to concentrate first on core troops which I can use for wider variety of campaigns.

It is the one slight downside of historical gaming- having matched armies. In this case neither of us is too anal and we will happily field troops with 1815 uniforms and flags alongside or against those of earlier campaigns. Certainly can't afford to collect separate army for each!!

At some point though I will want a bit of variety in figure sculpts and uniform colours. That's when I will revisit German Division.

PS: Loved the Aventine Imperial Romans you painted. Gorgeous figures. Too many periods, too many figures to choose…..

Cheers

James

This is a very good web site on the battle link
- it's in Spanish – use Google Translate.

Oman is essential reading, even today. I have read both Field and Edwards. I found both rather unsatisfactory.

Field is a bit plodding, but he does try to examine the evidence from French and Spanish points of view, even if the evidence he uses is a bit thin (especially on the Spanish side). He tries to challenge the received wisdom on many points handed down by Oman. I don't think he's that successful though.

Edwards is unashamedly from the British point of view, and based almost entirely on British sources. But he goes into those British sources better than Field – his depth compensates for lack of breadth. He also knows a thing or two about manoeuvring men. But sometimes he relies too much on his witness accounts to carry the strain of the narrative. Overall I think I prefer this account though. But read both if you can. (Incidentally Edwards's account of Rolica is excellent).

I haven't read Chartrand's Osprey. I have found other Ospreys of his a bit unsatisfactory. Though with Ospreys the pictures often make up for it.

Worth looking on the web for maps and more detail on the Spanish units.

Good luck – it's a great battle to recreate.